Mum to sue over toddler's sunburn

Yahoo!7 November 4, 2009, 10:49 am
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A Queensland mother is planning to sue a childcare centre after her 16-month-old child suffered second-degree burns.

News Limited has reported the toddler sustained sunburn which, according to his mother, developed into blisters the morning after his stay at the Jumping Beans Children's Community Child Care in Kingaroy.

Michelle Murton said her son was "as red as a beetroot" when she collected him at 4pm Friday, October 23.

"I've never seen sunburn like it before," she was quoted as saying. "He was so red it was almost purple. For him to be burnt this bad, he must have been outside in the sun most of the day."

Ms Murton took the fair-skinned toddler to the Kingaroy Hospital emergency ward where he was treated for sunburn and given painkillers.

"Everyone at the hospital was amazed at his burns," she said. "They all came to look at him."

Ms Murton told News Limited she had contacted solicitors about seeking compensation for her son's pain and suffering.

"I just want them to recognise that they are responsible instead of denying they did anything wrong," she said.

Jumping Beans owner and manager Bevan Pearson maintains safety procedures had been followed on the day, saying all children had sunscreen applied, wore hats and spent rest and meal times in the shade.

"All the children played in the water and of 39 children on the day he was the only one who had sunburn," he told News Limited.

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